Sunny Weather Cruiser: 1968 Pontiac Bonneville

The Bonneville debuted in 1957 as a Pontiac special edition, then became a series of its own and remained in the lineup through 2005. The nameplate generally stood for big, luxurious automobiles that also packed a punch under the hood. The seller has a 1968 edition that’s also a convertible, one of more than 7,000 produced that year. It’s had a lot of work done recently, so it should be a great driver for weekend outings. Located in Grants Pass, Oregon, this boat-sized Poncho is available here on craigslist for $19,500. Another fine tip from “Curvette”.

General Motors’ B-body full-size cars received a rework in 1965, so the Bonneville got a facelift in 1967 with further tweaks in 1968. Power was provided by a 400 cubic inch V8 with a 4-barrel carburetor (as in the seller’s car), and a 428 was still optional for those wanting more gusto. Headlights reverted to horizontal from stacked in 1968 for the first time since 1962. A new option that year would be an 8-Track tape player, which everyone would seem to soon have, including me (terrible technology, as you could sometimes hear two songs at the same time!).

The seller’s asking price includes recovering some of the cost of the extensive work that has been done. The highlights include new brakes, suspension components, tires, gaskets, and a rebuild of the automatic transmission (98,000 miles). The vehicle presents quite well with no rust, sporting vibrant yellow/gold paint and a tan interior (black would have been better, IMO).

Considering the condition of the car, we’re guessing some cosmetic restoration has been done, like the paint and upholstery. But the seller doesn’t go in that direction with the listing, mostly focusing on all the new stuff. If you want to attract attention at Cars & Coffee, driving up in this machine with the top down should do it.